With each passing day we seem to be missing the bus!
Sorry, wait, if you got me wrong. I did not mean the Kadamba bus, which has faltered over the years since its inception to provide better services to the state of Goa. The less we talk about it the better since no one is interested to service this transport sector which is just milking the treasury. The bus-stands in the state itself reflect the true colors of the management. Wonder how Goa was declared as the best managed state in India with filth and garbage staring at every corner of the state. Isn’t it true to the BJP culture?
What we actually missing is the ‘Bus of Development’ in which by now all Goans should have been onboard in some way or other and should have been happily living.But that is not the case at all looking at the present trend where Goans are still struggling to board the bus that will ultimately reach to their destination of peace and harmony. The destination where their dreams of watching Goan rivers flow upto to its brim and locals carry on their traditional chores which has been totally grounded after so called nationalisation of the Goan rivers. With this, our traditional sand extractors have turned extinct. Let the Mahadei which has been at the centre of attraction of our neighbours fulfill everyone’s dream and quench the Goans’ thirst lest we may be able to cross the Mandovi river on foot.
Goa needs to have its new destination to see the light at the end of the tunnel and prevent the motherland from environmental disasters. Though the hopes of seeing that light has been blacked out by the past and present crop of politicians and this has frustrated the Gôykars. The tunnel is further thickly blackened with every government that governed and looted the state of its past glory as well as its wealth and have made its people look like paupers in front of their political clowns. There is total darkness by which the greed and lethargic attitude of the elected representatives has encompassed the very soul of Goa who failed to protect the interest of Goa and Goans alike. With its environment and landscape taking severe beating it is left to the people to rise up and voice their anger which is now a force to reckon with against the unwanted projects forced upon Goans.
The tall promises of the government have fallen flat and with buying the opposition MLAs with lock stock and barrel no politicians is to be trusted henceforth as electing a candidate to any party looks like a ‘trading house’ which ultimately goes to the highest bidder. The peoples’ anger and frustration is wreathing on their faces. Thank God the Goans are still silently watching their elected MLAs honeymooning with the BJP knowing well that their time is near when they shall be dumped and pumped away from their party as well as by the electorate at next hustings. They deserve to be treated like demons or you may call them best ‘narkasurs’ which ultimately will have to be burnt to ashes. And sooner the better for Goa.
Building the bridges and highways is not the solution for Goans whereas taking care of its environment and saving Goa for future generations is most paramount. Presently most of the road network is crying for attention as the state treasury has sunk to a level that the Government doesn’t even have a penny to celebrate forthcoming sixty years of Liberation Day. Goans don’t demand celebrations but instead hear people’s voices which today have become synonymous with each day passing that demands to scrap unpopular projects which will ultimately destroy us.
Let the development and preservation of our lush green fields, canals, lakes and forests which are the hallmark of Goa that are calling for urgent attention and which are under constant threat, breathe in the fresh lease of life.
All we ask the government is to think like Goan,work for Goans and plan for Goans and not just blindly follow the diktat of the Centre whose only aim is to destroy Goa’s heritage and Goan culture. Let our brotherhood between all the communities prosper. The development should reach every village of the state to preserve our unique traditional set up and its biodiversity which once again has been under severe threat from the builders who mercilessly go on rampaging, buying the panchayat members on wholesale to destroy the very soul of the Goan villages.
If one looks at the the countries of African continent which are till date bleeding to death because of bad and corrupt governance.These countries are devastated and most of the relief aid of the world have been directed to these countries with severe crises which otherwise could have been used for better development and thus prevent hunger and development of humanity et al. But due to the corrupt rulers or governments of the past and present have hardly paid heed to states’ need based development which included human development. The education and environment which plays a pivotal role was ignored for far too long and the end result is that today these countries are languishing on the severe underdeveloped map of the world.
God has bestowed Goa with nature’s bounty which is unmatched to many other states of India. But today the environment of the state has taken a severe beating albeit with the tacit support of the elected representatives in the name of development. The fields are disappearing, the hillocks are being cut mercilessly. Goa’s shameless politicians have failed to arrest this trend because they themselves have been the culprits of this disastrous trend. Having succumbed to the diktats of their political masters these men have been blind and deaf to whatever has been happening and in turn now waking up from their slumber after the citizens’ protests against the hazardous projects which has enlightened the citizens and gave a wake-up call to the government. I salute to the groups who are spearheading this awareness movement against coal, double tracking and against cutting of trees at Mollem. Only time will tell how long it will take to the present government to listen to peoples’ voices. Till now all we hear from the government is total lies. The bank accounts of the people are still awaiting to receive rupees five thousand which the CM spoke so blatantly of late.
If Goans need to really catch the bus of development, come next elections and they should forget irrespective of who forms the government, the people should take each of the MLAs or the ministers to task of protecting our ‘Mankullem Gôy”.
We, the Goans must show the unity once again to dislodge all those who act like political prostitutes of the state. It would be wise if every constituency took their elected MLA to task and demanded to work on the peoples’ terms and conditions. And never allow them to jump the party that they have been voted to power.
The electoral system has failed us on this front and now it’s up to the people themselves who should step in and show them the peoples’ power. The electoral system has become too corrupt and politicians’ centric. Am I asking for too much?”
